Trick electrical lamp with secret operation



Dec. 28, 1948. A. c. HAR'JEs 2,457,565

TRICK ELECTRICAL LAMP WITH SECRET OPERATION Filed Jan. 17, 1947 Patented Dec. 28, 1948 "Q STATES PATIENT OFFlCE TRICK ELECTRICAL LAMP seems-r OPERATION;

Albert 0. Harje's, rmsliingfnfr; Application January 17, 19451., swarm. 722,530 2 Claims. (01. 272-8) This invention relates to an electrical lamp, which can be illuminated without outside" electrical service wires, by manipulation by a human hand, which is not supplied with outside current supply means 'or connections therefor.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a pleasant surprise a mystifying trick to entertain and thrill friends and others, by causing the electrical lamp to be illuminated by a skillful manipulation of the hand which holds it, without exposing the trick to those observing it.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for replacing the parts used for the performing of the illumination trick.

With the above and other objects in view the invention comprises certain new and useful constructions, combinations, constructions and arrangements of parts, clearly described in the following specification, and fully illustrated in the drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the lamp in the hand of the performer, indicating the method by which it is manipulated to produce illumination, without the use of external current supply.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through th lamp, shown partly in elevation, indicating the position of a finger ring for closing the circuit through the enclosed light and its battery.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through a modified form.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate the practical embodiment of the invention, 5 designates a lamp bulb of standard construction, which is fitted in and sealed to the brass or metal shell 6, which is formed with the usual rolled screw threads I.

The shell 6 is provided with a block 8 of insulating material, which may be wax, hard rubber or plastic, which is held in place in the conical tip 9 of the shell.

Within the chamber formed by the combined bulb 5 and metal shell 6 a dry battery 10 is disposed. The lower end of this battery is soldered or otherwise bonded to the conductor base II, which is embedded in the insulation block 8. The base H is provided with a central stem l2 and a conductor disc l3 integral therewith, or bonded thereto, which is thus secured against the outer end of the block 8, and which extends to the outside surface of the block 8, so that the disc edge 14 will be in direct line with the conical tip 9 of the metal shell 8.

On the central electrode 15 of the dry batter cell it the central electrode 16 of the miniature flash lightqaulb H is soldered or otherwise bonded ginxelectrical union. vided with .ametal shell It to which the Wire 48' is soldered at 49, the other end of the wire being .solderedat .20 to the .interior of the shell 6,

'By this arrangement no current will :ilow from the-dry-battery to the lamp until the gap between the .metal shell 6 and the disc edge 14 is closed. In the carrying out of the deception involved in the execution of the trick, the lamp is placed in one hand'which is provided with an ordinary finger ring, as R. The ring R is brought into engagement with the shell 6 and the disc edge l4, so that the ring acts as a circuit closer, when current will flow from the battery cell In to the lamp bulb l1, thereby energizing the same.

To conceal the secret of the trick unit the glass of which the bulb 5 is made is of the frosted or colored type, which allows light rays to pass through it, but, because of its translucent character, obscures the interior of the lamp bulb, so that the means for illuminating the lamp, without the use of outside wires cannot be detected by an usual external examination.

None of the outside parts of the trick unit have any sliding or turning movement, and in appearance the lamp looks no different than. any standard lamp bulb of corresponding size.

In Fig. 3 I show a modified construction of the trick device, wherein the metal shell 20 is detachably connected to the screw thread 2| of the lass bulb 22, by its own screw thread 23. The shell 20 is provided with a conical plug 24 of insulation material, which carries the socket 25, which det-achably supports the dry battery cell 26. The socket 25 is formed with a central portion which projects through the insulating block Zl, and which is connected with the metal disc 21.

The flash lamp bulb 28 is soldered directly to the central electrode 29 of the dry battery cell 26, and a metal sleeve 30 is detachable connected with the metal shell 26a of the flash lamp bulb 28. This sleeve is supported by the post or arm 3 I, which is maintained in electrical contact with the interior of the shell 20, by the spring loop 3la formed on the lower end thereof. If desired the soldered connection between the central electrode of the miniature flash lamp bulb and the central electrode of the dry battery cell may be omitted.

The construction shown in Fig. 3 permits the renewal of the dry cell and the small active light bulb. Otherwise the construction and operation is the same as above described with reference to the showing of Figs. 1 and 2. The circuit through the battery cell 26 and the miniature This bulb l is prm 1. An electric lamp trick device comprising ,a

threaded shell of metal representing the threaded shell of a standard lamp bulb, a translucent glass bulb formation fitted in one end of the shell, a block of insulating material secured to the other end of the shell and depending therefrom, conductor extending through theinsulating 'blocka 4 2. A trick electric lamp device as defined in Claim 1 and said translucent lamp bulb formation having threads engageable with the threads of the shell for the securement of the translucent lamp bulb therewith, and said conducting strip extending from the miniature lamp bulb being rigid and having a threaded opening for the secu-rement of the miniature lamp bulb to the conducting strip for supportthereby in areplaceable manner, the miniature lamp bulb upon being threaded into the conducting strip adapted to have engagement with the upper, end of the battery.

and having a conductor disk formation lying over the bottom face of the insulating block, said disk and said shell being so formed and spaced from one another that the gap thereb'etween can be bridged by a conducting element, a battery secured to the inner end of the conductor and ex;-

tending upwardly into the'translucent bulb; a I,

miniature lamp bulb connected to the upper end of the battery to receive current therefrom; and a conductor extending from the miniature lamp bulb to the threaded shell.

ALBERT HAR'JES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 919,691 Cahil l Apr. 27, 1909 2,177,337 Stein Oct. 24, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 397,150 Great Britain Aug. 18, 1933 

